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Honda CBR900RR Fireblade motorcycle review - Riding
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Honda CBR900RR Fireblade (1992-1999)

View all Honda CBR900RR FIREBLADEs for sale (10)

Detail Value
Parker's used price range £790-3,630
Full used prices
Engine size 918cc
Power 128bhp
Top speed 160mph
Insurance group 17
  MCN ratings Owners' ratings
Overall rating is 5 rating is 4.5
Engine rating is 4 rating is 4.5
Ride & Handling rating is 4 rating is 4.5
Equipment rating is 4 rating is 3.5
Quality & Reliability rating is 5 rating is 4
Value rating is 4 rating is 4.5

MCN overall verdict rating is 5

The motorcycle that changed how sports motorcycles were built. The Honda CBR900RR FireBlade wiped the floor with its competitor motorcycles not by being more powerful (it wasn’t) but by being lighter. Rivals were all well over 200kg, the first Honda CBR900RR FireBlade was just 185kg which made it perform superbly. It’s still a wild ride and a surprisingly practical motorcycle too.

 

Engine

MCN rating rating is 4
Owners' rating rating is 4.5

Proven technology made lightweight – very much the Honda CBR900RR FireBlade’s philosophy. It worked extremely well. The in-line four, 16 valve, liquid cooled engine in the Honda CBR900RR FireBlade grew from 893cc to 918cc by 1998 but it always set the motorcycle alight with plenty of power at any revs and a dab of character too.

Ride and Handling

MCN rating rating is 4
Owners' rating rating is 4.5

The Honda CBR900RR was labeled dangerously fast steering when it was launched – but times have moved on and modern motorcycles are much more flighty. The 16” front wheel gives an unusual feel and somewhat limits tyre choice – a 17" wheel from a Honda VFR750F-V goes straight in without needing new spacers. Brakes work well if in good condition.

Equipment

MCN rating rating is 4
Owners' rating rating is 3.5

Like any minimalist sports motorcycle there’s few luxuries on the Honda CBR900RR Fireblade. But the Honda CBR900RR FireBlade has a couple of surprises up its sleeve. First it’s not uncomfortable or cramped – even pillion accommodation is good if a grab rail is added. Also there’s an excellent ‘boot’ luggage space under the rear seat.

Quality and Reliability

MCN rating rating is 5
Owners' rating rating is 4

Despite making a motorcycle with revolutionary light weight, Honda didn’t cut corners in terms of quality. Honda CBR900RR FireBlades can easily run to 100,000 miles with routine maintenance. Problems with used motorcycle will be caused by neglect, crash damage or thieves so check thoroughly for all those when looking at a Honda CBR900RR FireBlade.

Value

MCN rating rating is 4
Owners' rating rating is 4.5

The Honda CBR9000RR was the best motorcycle in its day and still a superb buy on the used market. Some rivals are cheaper but buy a clean, straight used Honda CBR900RR FireBlade and you can’t go wrong. Depreciation shouldn’t be massive and the early ‘round eye’ 1992 and 1993 Honda CBR900RR FireBlades look like becoming collectors items. Find a Honda CBR900RR FireBlade for sale.

Insurance

Insurance group: 17

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Model History

1992: Honda CBR900RR launched.
1994: Updated Honda CBR900RR FireBlade with fox eye faired in headlights, RR logo on the tail unit, electric speedo, minor gearbox mods and more.
1996: More updates including 918.5cc engine, dual slits on each side of tail unit, power up from 122bhp to 126, weight down from 185kg to 183.
1998: New plastics, power up to 128bhp, weight down to 180kg, more comfortable too.

Other Versions

None.

Specifications

Top speed 160mph
1/4-mile acceleration 10.8 secs
Power 128bhp
Torque 68ftlb
Weight 180kg
Seat height 810mm
Fuel capacity 18 litres
Average fuel consumption 41mpg
Tank range 160 miles
Insurance group 17
Engine size 918cc
Engine specification 16v in-line four, 6 gears
Frame Aluminium beam
Front suspension adjustment Preload, rebound, compression
Rear suspension adjustment Preload, rebound, compression
Front brakes Twin 310mm discs
Rear brake 220mm disc
Front tyre size 130/70 x 16
Rear tyre size 180/55 x 17

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Owners' Overall Rating rating is 4.5(29 reviews)

  • Excellent all round bike - Will never part with it! Buy one now!

    jamie clark

    Average rating rating is 4.5

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    If you are pondering as to whether a pre-injection blade is for you, then stop thinking and start buying! Not just are they classic's in the making, but they are a serious bike even by todays standards. I currently have a 1999 RRX/W and dont think for a minute that because it is a 10 year old bike that it must be slow! The blade still screams to breath taking speeds in no time at all and with a micron end can it sounds amazing! I use my blade every day and in all weathers and I love it! It rides two up with no problem at all with bearly any difference to the power and gets nods of respect every where you go. Two up, touring, around town, open roads...the list is endless! The blade is happy doing it all! As for fuel I normally reach about 140 miles before I hit reserve which is fine by me. I clean the blade all the time but even in winter the bike scrubs up really well. Excellent build quality, the likes of which you rarely ever see. If your new to riding to be put off by the blade. It really is very easy to ride, and as long as you respect it you cant go wrong. The 1998/99 blade is more like a sports tourer now especially in comparrison to the new blade which is more like a 600 is weight and shape. It is still big and bulky around its front end which gives it a menacing look! I really cant fault my bike. You really should stop thinking and get out there and buy one. I picked my 1999 blade up for a small sum of £1900! The bike only had 10000 miles on the clock and is and remains in excellent condition! I love it. For more photos check out my blog at www.hondafireblade.com.

    23 April 2009

  • Still ace

    all624

    Average rating rating is 4.5

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    I own an RRN and an Evoblade having owned both from new. The RRN has only 4,000 miles on it so it is really like new. Looks a little dated in a semi classic way but still great fun to ride, although 17 years on my riding is a little more sensible!

    01 February 2009

  • 1999blade

    1den

    Average rating rating is 4.5

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    i can't praise this bike enough. considering it's very nearly 10 years old it's brilliant. i bought it with 9000 miles on the clock and have done 3500 miles over summer and loved every minute of it. fitted pirelli diablo tyres, which work really well with the bike - now need a new pair. pillion seat is good, just add a grab rail. i changed to braided hoses and new pads and it made a real difference on the power of the brakes. it's the only bike i've had that i can't say a bad word about! good mpg, brilliant handling, cheap insurance.

    22 September 2008

  • 1997 rrv

    lister22

    Average rating rating is 4.5

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    had it for 3 years now just done 8000 mile and in great condition ,does eveything i need in a bike ,just got great bike insurance 130.00 fully comp ,the works ,carole nash , cheaper than the 12 bandit i had a few years ago.ive been riding for 14 years and i dont want anything else ,there were conti force tyres on it when i bought it and they were pants ,, pilot sport now 134.00 a pair not bad at all..for some tyre makes the front wheel is a killer on prices sometimes more than the rear , anyway its a great machine and i got a cracking deal with this one, never looked back.....

    02 September 2008

  • 97 RRV Fireblade

    Steven Hood

    NORWICH , UK

    Average rating rating is 4.5

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    Bought new in August 97 on an "R" and now showing 102,015 Miles.I would say this bike just got better with more miles i put on it.Bridgestone tyres suit this bike well and have no probs with the 16" front wheel.Had to be quite firm with the gearchanges from new but got progressively better after 30,000miles.My only complaint has been the Alternator windings failing on 3 occasions now along with a couple of Reg/Rec"s.Keep to the 4000/8000/12000/16000 service intervals and the bike will do very high mileages.Top tip from a Honda Technician/Keep the revs down for the first 12miles while the engine gets to working temp and it will last forever.More than happy with this bike even after all the miles on it.It burns NO oil between 4000 mile changes and still does 40mpg when used quite hard.

    01 June 2008

  • excellent all round bike

    Eldar

    Average rating rating is 4.5

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    mines a 98 rrw i've had it sixteen months and averaged a thousand miles a month using it every day all year round for cmmuting to work and weekend rides , fuel consumption is between 45 - 52 mpg depending on what mood takes you , its been absoluteley reliable and is one of the most comfortable bikes i've owned in thirty six years of riding , pillion comfort is good to say's my missus . I won't trade it for later fuel injected model because the fuel consumption on these is dreadfull .

    23 April 2008

  • Sort it then ride it... it's a class act.

    Anonymous

    Average rating rating is 4.5

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    After three dirtbikes, two streetbikes, an rvf400 and a big 'ole Pan, a blade was to be my introduction to sportsbikes. I got it to find out what all the fuss was about and plumbed for the original '92 blade for that reason. Very happy I did too. I got the bike off ebay with 47K miles on the clock but otherwise looking like a minter. My first probs were electrical, solved by replacing the charging system and reg/rect with electrex gear, job done. Second problem was a slight tickiness at start up which seemed to disappear after warm, this was the cam chain. Sorted by replacing cam chain and tensioner (tensioner was fully extended ie. spent). I then bought a claimed 6k mile carb from off a 94 blade and swapped that in.. cheapest carb rebuild in history.. this helped sharpen up the throttle response. One horrible problem showed up as an intermittent loss of power to cyls 1 and 4, this turned out to be a control cable, rotted through. Sorted by splicing in a replacement. The old motad exhaust fell off just a few weeks ago (well just the tip), swapped that for a scorpion. I've now done a total of about 12K miles on this bike. The last 4k have been completely trouble free. It does 150 miles a day commute (rain or shine, day and night), trackies and the odd weekend blat. It does these things effortlessly and without drama -- in the dark it's got the brightest stock lighting of any bike I've owned. Obviously not a green laner but in road-holding terms the most sure footed thing I've ever ridden. Oh yeah, handling. Nearly forgot to mention, the bike came with a 190 rear.. a 190 rear shags the handling, end of story. Use a 180. Also the 16" front wheel will have a 17" rolling radius if the correct tyre is used, this is also very important, otherwise erhh.. shags the handling. Some months later when one of the forks started leaking I took the bike to have a full fork rebuild and front and back setup, result.. massively improved ride, super-stable in turns, really quiet over tarmac snakes and hatching etc, no, repeat, no chatter under heavy breaking and no tank slappers eg under heavy acceleration over hatching or shitty tarmac. So if you're getting any of these symptoms, don't blame the bike, check you have good tyres and pressures and get the suspension set up! Additional stuff learnt during this exercise is that the rear shock is not easily user serviceable. For now mine seems to be working but soon to be replaced with an ohlins unit. Also, front forks (on '92 model) have only rebound adjustment, I've got a set off a '97 which have rebound and compression adjustment, and I believe will bolt straight on, these will be getting the full treatment (linear springs + ktec damping gubbins) before fitting. Eventually I may also swap out the stockers for some lighter dymag wheels, this looks to be the sweetest (if not the cheapest) way to get a 17" front (for better choice of rubber). Lighter wheels will also be fun I think ;) All in all a bloody descent bit of kit, and no fecker's tried to nick it yet... the thieves round our way seem to prefer K7's, guess I would too but plenty happy enough with my old blade for now.

    18 October 2007

  • 1998 Blade

    The First Ninja

    CLECKHEATON , UK

    Average rating rating is 4

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    Well its new to me, looked for months and finally got a cracker, looks like brand new, 1998 with 3500 on the clock and all mot's etc to prove it, absolutely spotless and what a bike, handles, goes like stink, yet is just as happy pottering about, even Miss Daisy would feel safe on this, great in the wet, better in the dry, good brakes, bit of patter from the front wheel from over eager throttle and impending kerbside furniture. Huge grin factor and you can actually get stuff in the underseat storage. Only issues after 800 glorious miles in 3 weeks is a slightly noisey clutch, mmmm puzzling and an odd high pitch vibe through right hand bar, sent my hand dead within 20 miles yesterday, but after asking around current thinking is that it needs carbs balancing ???? and or new fluid in the front forks, dunno but I'll give em a try. Otherwise a stonkin bike and plenty fast enough to lose yer licence. Get one, have fun.

    13 August 2007

  • Not for real bikers

    Lightning Boy

    Average rating rating is 4

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    I had one of these brand new at T reg and was, like most people, pretty damn impressed with the performance. Many people on this site rave about its handling, for me though, it was too harsh. I ride on back roads, almost exclusively and found it too nervous, too crashy on bigger potholes and generally pretty rubbish to live with. Like all my bikes, I used it every working day and some weekends for good measure. My Blade covered 26k miles in 3 years and was really not all that reliable... various bearings collapsed, alloy surfaces corroded badly and needed constant cleaning and the suspension was fully cream crackered at the end of the 3 years. The list could go on. If you ride this bike on sunny weekend track-days and have the patience to pamper it, it will serve you well. If you want a real bike, look elsewhere.

    05 June 2007

  • Superb

    gcoetzee

    Average rating rating is 4.5

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    I love this bike. I've just bought a "T" reg 918. I'm loving it. It is a little hard in the seat, but goes like stink. It makes you look good, as it does all the cornering work for you. Got £ 900 for my old CB 500 "R" reg 57000 miles & only had to fork out an extra £ 1200 for the Blade...what a bargain...Has a tendancy to go too fast, just getting used to how little throttle action is required to get well over the ton...Bit to much speed for our roads, but love it!! Looking forward to a long, hot summer... Later G

    18 April 2007

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